Re: [Paddlewise] Who We Are

I've been on a business trip in Puerto Rico but may have some time to write
this e-mail while I contemplate the cancelled flights.
(55 minutes later)
I just turned 51, married with 2 pre teens and live in South Florida,
between Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

I was born in South Africa and grew up in New York. My first paddling trip
was a one week trip down the Delaware in a Grumman. I don't remember much
(It's wonderful how the mind supresses bad experiences) of the wet sleeping
bags, the camp sites next to the railroad tracks (SURPRISE!) and the
pollution. Most of my clothes fell apart by the time we reached the take
out. Idid  enjoy the paddling and went paddling at every opportunity.

 I did PG work in an aspect of environmental psych and studied photography.
The department headed West and I headed East to Ireland, via Glascow where I
spent a number of years playing music, photographing buildings and consuming
vast quantities of Guinness.

After Ireland I spend tome time in Manhatten which made the trip back to
South Africa a no brainer. I became the head of the photography department
at the University of Cape Town, Michaelis Scool of Fine Arts, obtained digs
on the beach and bought a Wave Ski.

The seas were cold and typical surf was 6' with 10 and 12 not uncommon. I
never felt completely comfortable on the ski and very uncomfortable off.
Visibility was low and there were some VERY BIG hungry fish that roamed
those waters.

On off days I paddled the local marshes and up and down the coast, but it
was a challenge on a wave ski..no tracking and it was a real dog, but
provided a great work out.

When I moved to Florida, my new office was in one of the local marinas on
the intracoastal and my neighborhood was just a few miles South. I looked
for a wave ski but no one knew what I was talking about, so I looked at
SOTs. It took one paddle in a cockpitted boat to convince me that I wanted
that sleek green and blue seakayak..a Wilderness Systems boat (can't
remember the name) that I soon realized was more of a bathtub with a rudder
then a seakayak. I was able to trade it in on a REAL seakayak....a
Sealution....and that was good for a few more weeks untill I tried my first
glass boat.

I wanted a kevlar Nordkapp but could only justify a Seda Impulse. Eventually
we aquired a kevlar Falcon 16, a WS Piccalo and then finally the Nordkapp
and then a second. I recently purchased a K-Light and will probably trade
one Nordkapp in on a Khatsalano.

Paddling has become, not an addiction, but a necessity. I try to paddle 20
to 30 miles each weekend and feel a sense of loss if I am unable to paddle.
I will begin paddling evenings once or twice a week, as soon as the days get
just a bit longer. My put in is a bear (as Chuck Landis will verify),
especially in the dark.

I currently work as the IT director for a transportation company and have a
small business making "Sink the Stink" a wet suit deodorizer I developed. I
finally have a job where I don't need to have pages added to my passport
every few years.

I also enjoy scuba diving, flying, FITA archery, playing Irish music and
amateur radio (W2PN). Long term plan is to sell the kids, buy a 42 foot sail
boat and head East.

It's been a pleasure meeting everyone through this thread....especially the
lurkers!

BTW, one of my kayaking buddies works for a cargo airline and has managed to
get me out of San Juan on a freighter this evening!!

cya



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